Taken from the Teachings of the Gaon and Tzaddik

Rabbi Yitzchok Myer Morgenshtern Shlita

Shavuos 5783 “From the Wellsprings of the Sea” ‫בס"ד‬

2
Shavuos 5783 “From the Wellsprings of the Sea” ‫בס"ד‬

“From the Wellsprings of the Sea”

Taken from the Teachings of Rabbi Yitzchok Myer Morgenshtern Shlita
‘The Wellsprings of Avodah’
The main Dveykus is in the general, all-inclusive light of the
Torah – and this general light shines on Shavuos
⁂⁙⁂⁙⁂

The holy Torah is the light of Dveykus and the Yichud. It is not just an
intellectual form of wisdom as it would appear and is revealed to be on
an external level.
The holy Torah is synonymous with the Shechina1, and it is the light of
Emunah and the light of Hashem’s Yichud; it is not just a wisdom of external
intellectualism. It is known2 that the two Luchos Habris (“tablets of the covenant”)
correspond to the Sefiros of Netzach and Hod. However, we need to explain how the
concept of the Yesod3 is included here. We must explain that the Yesod is hidden, since
it is the aspect of the holy Torah which is unified with Hashem Yisborach. The holy
Torah brings to true Dveykus4 with Hashem. It is true that is it revealed externally by
means of the abundance of intellectual ideas written therein, however one needs to
know that this is only an enclothment and an externality for the main thing which
is the inner point of truth, as above.
Hakodosh Boruch Hu5 also loves the knowledge of all the intricate details in the
Torah, and every bit of knowledge sanctifies and purifies a person. Like the Ba’al
Hatanya said that every single fact that a person increases in his knowledge of the Torah
is inscribed upon his soul and cleanses it, and one becomes sanctified with an infinite
sanctity, and becomes like a Sefer Torah. He writes as follows6: “This influence and
illumination which man, by means of his occupation with the Torah, draws from the
reflected light of the blessed En Sof and causes to shine on his soul and on the souls of
all Israel, which is the Shechinah, Keneset Yisroel, the fount of all the souls of Israel,

1
The Divine Presence.
2
See Eitz Chayim, Part 2, P.63b.
3
In Sha’ar Hakavonos (Derushei Shavuos), the Arizal says that on Shavuos we draw down the triad of Netzach, Hod and
Yesod. The question here is, since the Luchos HaBris are Netzach and Hod, where does Yesod come into the picture?
4
An inner connection and bonding.
5
The Holy One, Blessed Be He.
6
Tanya, end of Ch. 37.
3
Shavuos 5783 “From the Wellsprings of the Sea” ‫בס"ד‬

as will be explained later – is termed "keriah" ("calling"). Hence kore

baTorah ["Calling by means of the Torah"]. This means that through one's occupation
with the Torah one calls to the Holy One, blessed be He, to come to him, to use an
anthropomorphism, like a person calling to his companion to come to him, or like a
child calling his father to come and join him, so that he should not be separated from
him and remain alone, G-d forbid. This is the meaning of the text, "Hashem is close to
all that call unto Him; to all that call unto Him in truth," and " 'Truth' applies only to the
Torah." The meaning is thus rendered in the sense of calling to the Holy One, blessed
be He, specifically through the Torah. It is different, however, when one does not call
Him through occupation in the Torah, but merely cries: "Father! Father!" as the prophet
laments over him: "And none calls by Thy name..." as is explained elsewhere. The
intelligent person should ponder on this in order to inculcate into himself a great
reverence at the time of his occupation with the Torah, as has been previously explained
(ch. 23).”
Nevertheless, this is not the real purpose; like we find with all of the Tzaddikim,
that even though they were experts in the whole Torah, still this was not the main thing
for them at all. Rather, the main thing by them was that every piece of information
should connect them on high with real Dveykus in Hashem.
On Shavuos there shines the light of the totality of the holy Torah, which gives
a person the strength to contemplate how the Torah is actually a G-dly light
Now, one should know that on Shavuos there shines every year afresh the light
of Matan Torah on Har Sinai, which is the light of Keser7. The concept of Keser is
the light of the Yichud Hashem8 and great Emunah (belief) above rhyme or
reason9. Even though this light shines all the time, nonetheless there are times when
HaKodosh Boruch Hu shines forth with a strong revelation from that great light, in order
that a Jew should be able to draw down the light during the whole year. This is the
special quality and dimension of the Yom Tov of Shavuos. That unique light, which is
the root source of the whole Torah, gives a person the strength to make Hisbonunus and
contemplate upon the Yichud Hashem – that the holy Torah is not just an external
intellectual exercise like other secular studies, which are not connected in any way
to the holy wisdom of the Torah which is a spiritual and G-dly wisdom.

7
Lit. the “crown”. This is the highest of the 10 Sefiros and their supernal source.
8
G-d’s Unity.
9
“Lema’alah m’ta’am vo’da’as”.
4
Shavuos 5783 “From the Wellsprings of the Sea” ‫בס"ד‬

The light of the Torah is the light of ‫ כתר‬/ Keser, which has the numerical
value (620) of the 613 Torah Mitzvos and the 7 Rabbinical Mitzvos, and it
illuminates a person’s body so that he should be able to sanctify himself and
to become a Merkovoh10 for the holy Shechinah
On the night of Shavuos, there were Tzaddikim who would reach this level
through their learning. It is well known what Rabbi Moshe Yosef Hoffman ‫זצ"ל‬, the
Dayan of Pápa11 who was a disciple of the Ksav Sofer, said about this, that he heard
from the Chasam Sofer that one who learns on Shavuos night in holiness and purity all
night long without any interruptions will merit to attain Gilui Eliyahu12. The Papa Dayan
added that indeed, once on the night of Shavuos he learnt the whole night with great
sanctity, and he had a question on a certain topic. A Tzaddik was revealed to him who
explained to him the answer, and as soon as he thought about the answer to consider if
it answers his question properly and he saw that it was an amazing answer, that person
who told it to him disappeared, and he understood that he had merited to have Gilui
Eliyahu.
However, the concept of Gilui Eliyahu is not like people imagine, that it is only
when Eliyahu comes in the appearance of a certain Tzaddik and reveals hidden things.
But actually the main idea on the night of Shavuos is as Rabbeinu z”l said13 about the
Berditchever Rov zy”o that he did not go to daven on Shavuos morning until he saw the
heavenly Merkovo. The explanation of this, as it relates to our subject, is that we need
to be careful that the learning on Shavuos night should not an external form of learning
like we have been accustomed to learn with dryness, forgetting about HaKodosh Boruch
Hu and without any Dveykus at all, which is the main problem and flaw. Rather, when
the night of Shavuos arrives every Jew needs to have his heart aflame with holy
desire and hishtokukus for Hashem and for His Torah, until the learning will be on
the level of the “Keser”, and with Dveykus and great enthusiasm for Hashem
Yisborach. Through this we shall merit to feel and experience the G-dly light, until our
whole body will be purified, and we will come to feel His G-dliness in all of our 248
limbs and 365 sinews, which are all included within the holy Shechinah.

10
Lit. Chariot.
11
Pápa [ˈpaːpɒ] is a historical town in Veszprém county, Hungary, located close to the northern edge of the Bakony Hills,
and noted for its baroque architecture.
12
The revelation of Eliyahu Hanavi!
13
Chayei Moharan, Siman 553.
5
Shavuos 5783 “From the Wellsprings of the Sea” ‫בס"ד‬

On the night of Shavuos, we have learnt that the Mocha Setima’a and Gulgalta14
are revealed. The Mocha Setima’a is the idea of the reasons behind the Mitzvos, and all
the light that there is in the holy Torah. And the Gulgalta is the concept of the Mesirus
Nefesh15 and the desire only for Hashem. Within this Dveykus is enclothed the Za”t
d’Atik16, which is the aspect of complete spiritual pleasure and Ta’anug, in the aspect
of the complete ‫ אני‬/ “Ani”, as it is written "‫ "אני הוי'ה שוכן בתוך בני ישראל‬/ “I (Ani) am
Hashem who dwells amongst the children of Israel” – that Klal Yisroel merits to derive
true pleasure from the ‘Ani’ of Hashem.
The learning on the night of Shavuos is the study of the totality of the
Torah, which brings about the desire and yearning to learn the whole Torah
By means of this aforementioned learning with such a great Dveykus, we
shall merit to accept upon ourselves the Oil Malchus Shomayim17 to learn the holy
Torah throughout the year in great holiness and with an awesome Dveykus. This
is the concept of the light of “Keser” that shines on Shavuos, which is the kelolus and
totality of the whole Torah simultaneously. That is the idea behind saying Pesukim18
from all of the Tenach in the Tikkun Leil Shavuos, which is the great yearning for
knowledge in all of the Torah; it is the desire to adorn the holy Shechina with all of the
24 types of adornment19. For we, the Jewish people, are the aspect of a Kalla (bride) to
Hashem, and we adorn ourselves and receive spiritual “lights” so that we are ready and
prepared to become bound to Hashem Yisborach in a true Dveykus, since without the
holy Torah there cannot be Dveykus in Hashem, as explained above.
The learning on Shavuos needs to bring a person to the perception whereby
he feels the greatness of the holy Torah, that it is impossible to equate it to
any other form of wisdom in the world
A person needs to learn on Shavuos with such a great light, until he reaches
the level that if someone will bring him afterwards some idea from the “external
wisdom”20, then even if he will contemplate it for only a short time he will already

14
These are two parts of the Keser, included within the aspect of Arich Anpin, as explained by the Arizal in Eitz Chayim.
Gulgalta is higher than Mocha’a Setima’a. There is a third level called Avira that is mentioned by the Reshash in Nehar
Shalom when talking about Shavuos, but is in fact not brought in the Siddur Reshash to have in mind on Leil Shavuos. See
there for more details.
15
Self-sacrifice.
16
The Za”t d’Atik is the seven lower Sefiros of Atik, which is the Partzuf above Arich. It is enclothed within various parts
of Arich (“Hislabshus”).
17
Yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven.
18
Verses from Scripture.
19
The 24 Books of Tenach correspond to and represent the 24 Kishutei Kallah (adornments of the bride).
20
I.e. Secular wisdom, which are called Chochmos Chitzoniyos.
6
Shavuos 5783 “From the Wellsprings of the Sea” ‫בס"ד‬

feel the total darkness of it. For it is impossible to compare or equate between the
wisdom of the holy Torah – which is the aspect of Esther the Queen – and the seven
external forms of wisdom, which are only an aspect of the seven maidservants that were
created in order to serve the Queen.
It is forbidden, according to Halocho, to learn secular wisdom for someone
who does not need it for his Parnossoh. However, the great Tzaddikim, after
they had learnt the whole entirety of the Torah, would also look at the
external wisdoms and would reveal there the holy Torah
It is well known that according to Halocho it is forbidden to learn the external
wisdoms21, except for someone who needs it for his livelihood or in an informal
fashion. But someone who looks into external wisdom for no real purpose, then
immediately the light of the Presence of Hashem is darkened and concealed from
him, G-d forbid. Even though it would appear that through the chochmos chitzoniyos22
one can do all sorts of things and attain all kinds of spiritual attainments; one should
know that this is all hevel havolim23, because the true wisdom is only and exclusively
the G-dly wisdom, which is the wisdom of how to have Dveykus in Hashem. Only by
means of the wisdom of the Torah can one merit to be included, incorporated and unified
within Hashem Yisborach.
However, the Tzaddikim did look at the chochmos chitzoniyos on an informal
level and occasionally, in order to serve the holy Torah and to show how the Torah is
enclothed within the created world, and how it is unified within all the worlds, since
everything in existence is a vessel to reveal the light of HaKodosh Boruch Hu in the
world. For this reason, many Tzaddikim like the Rambam and the Ramban learnt secular
wisdom, since by means of this they revealed the light of the Torah even in the lowest
places that, generally speaking, the light of the holy Torah does not illuminate there
during the time of the Golus24. But, as already mentioned, this is only for the greatest
Tzaddikim, who are on the highest spiritual level. [See Sefer HaTanya, Ch. 8.]
This is what is written in Chazal25: "‫ "מנעו בניכם מן ההגיון‬/ “Keep your children
away from contemplation”. The Rashba explains that the meaning here is in reference
to external (secular) wisdom; that as long as a person has not “filled his stomach” with
Shas and Poskim, and with learning the whole Torah in its entirety, it is forbidden for
21
Secular studies.
22
External wisdoms.
23
“Vanity of vanities”.
24
Exile.
25
Brochos 28b.
7
Shavuos 5783 “From the Wellsprings of the Sea” ‫בס"ד‬

him to learn external wisdom. Those Tzaddikim who did study chochmos chitzoniyus,
as above, this was only after they had learnt the whole Torah; then the external wisdom
was also transformed and turned into part of the holy Torah. This is what is written here,
"‫ "מנעו בניכם‬/ “Keep your children away” – so long as you are defined as “children” in
comparison to the Tzaddikim who learnt the whole Torah, then you may not learn
external or secular wisdom.
The abundance of the Kelipah of the Haskalah and the resultant spiritual
descent is due to the fact that they learnt external, secular wisdom
It is known that all the abundance of the Kelipah26 of the Haskalah27 that came
down into the world, and all the spiritual descent that occurred in the later generations,
was a result of the fact that they said to young men who were serving Hashem that
together with their involvement with the holy Torah they could also learn secular
studies; and there is no fault with doing so, but on the contrary it is good to know other
forms of wisdom. By means of this, they fell from all their spiritual levels. For when
one learns foreign wisdom without a true knowledge of the holy Torah, they turn
into a covering over the holy Torah and one’s intellectual faculties28 become
blocked, and as a result they do not understand anything in the Torah and they are drawn
further and further after the Kelipah. Due to this, the Chasam Sofer said that even though
the Kelipah of Kat Shatz29, may his name be blotted out, will have a rectification after
50 thousand Yovelos30, nevertheless for the Kelipah of the Rema”d31 who brought into
the world the impurity that they should study external wisdom when they are young,
there will never be a rectification nor a Tikkun. The explanation of this is that the
damage caused by learning secular wisdom is a terrible problem; for if a person
thinks that there is another wisdom that is somehow equivalent to the holy Torah
even just a little bit, then he is causing damage and a flaw in intrinsic G-dliness,
since Hakodosh Boruch Hu said, “I have given you my Torah, and it is as if I have
been sold together with her”. This means that the holy Torah is completely unified
and one with HaKodosh Boruch Hu, Mamash, as explained above.

26
Impurity.
27
Jewish Enlightenment movement.
28
Mochin.
29
Shabsai Tzvi and his group.
30
A Yovel is a 50 year period.
31
Reb Moshe from Dessau, or Mendelssohn.
8
Shavuos 5783 “From the Wellsprings of the Sea” ‫בס"ד‬

On Atzeres (Shavuos) they are judged over the fruit of the tree – the
judgment on Shavuos is mainly on each person’s Torah learning. During
the rest of the year, one’s Torah study is particulars and details of this
general, all-inclusive light that shines on Shavuos.
The Shelah Hakodosh writes32 concerning that which it states in the Gemarah33,
"‫ "בעצרת נידונים על פירות האילן‬/ “On Shavuos they are judged over the fruits of the tree”,
that the meaning is they are judged over their Torah learning, how much will a person
learn during the course of the whole upcoming year. He brings there the words of the
Arizal34 who writes that all of a person’s life depends upon Shavuos, and he explains
the words of the Arizal that the intention is on learning the holy Torah (which is a
person’s true life and inner vitality). If a person does not merit to be involved in Torah
study then he is empty of all G-dly and spiritual light. That is what the Arizal means
when he writes that all of a person’s life is dependent upon Shavuos. Even though during
the rest of the year every Jew is busy with the Torah, nonetheless the main illumination
of the Torah is revealed on Shavuos, like our teacher the Arizal brings35 that concerning
this day it is said36, "'‫ "והיה יום אחד הוא יודע לה‬/ “And there will be one day, which is
known to Hashem”, for this is the time when a person joins together and becomes one
with Hashem Yisborach. By means of accepting upon oneself to learn throughout the
whole year ahead, and through one’s strong desire to attain the general Dveykus [that is
revealed on Shavuos] – afterwards during the course of the year he will merit that it will
be revealed to him the specifics, particulars and details of the Dveykus and the general
illumination, as written above.
Any descent in spirituality is only when one forgets about Hashem for a
long time. However, if one falls down and strengthens oneself straight away,
then this is not considered to be a downfall at all.
Even though there are nefilos37, one needs to know that even the Tzaddikim
sometimes have falls. However, by the Tzaddikim it is not really called a nefila
because as soon as they fall down they immediately remember Hashem and they
do Teshuva straight away. The whole concept of the nefila or slip is when one forgets
about Hashem Yisborach for an extended period of time. Thus, since the Tzaddikim

32
Maseches Shavuos, Perek Ner Mitzvah, Ois 19.
33
Rosh Hashono 16a.
34
Sha’ar Hakavonos, p. 89a.
35
See Eitz Chayim, Sha’ar 25 (Part 2, p. 12, column 4).
36
Zechariya 14, 7.
37
Slips and downfalls.
9
Shavuos 5783 “From the Wellsprings of the Sea” ‫בס"ד‬

repent immediately, it is not considered that they have a fall. As it is written38, ‫"שבע יפול‬
"‫ צדיק וקם‬/ “Seven times the Tzaddik falls down and gets back up again” – that even
though he has downfalls and slips, he nevertheless knows the secret of "‫ "וקם‬/ “And he
gets back up”, and it is as if he did not fall. Quite to the contrary, every Nefilah actually
becomes a k’li and a vessel for Avodas Hashem more and more. This is the idea of the
Neh”i (Netzach, Hod, Yesod) that we receive on Shavuos, which is an acceptance of the
yoke of Heaven with such a great level of Dveykus that even if there will be a fall or
slip, G-d forbid, afterwards one will straight away arise and strengthen oneself from
fresh.
Hashem Yisborach should help that during these days, which are sanctified
and awesome days, we can enter into such a Dveykus and innermost connection
with Hashem, and we should merit to receive the Torah in truth. All of this is through
the correct preparation in these days prior to Shavuos. For Shavuos is only one day,
as it says, "'‫ "והיה יום אחד הוא יודע לה‬/ “And there will be one day which is known to
Hashem”. It is impossible to enter into such forms of Avodas Hashem straight away, but
instead one needs several days of preparation, during which we make the days and
nights into an aspect of Shavuos. By means of our preparing ourselves properly for
Shavuos we should merit to make the Yom Tov of Shavuos as it should be; and straight
away and immediately it should be fulfilled for us that which is written in the Tikkunei
Zohar, that on the Day of the Bikurim39 it is the time of the Redemption, since the main
redemption is on Shavuos. And already before then we should merit, in the secret of the
preparation, that it will be revealed to us the Beis HaMikdash on high that will descend
down below, and "‫ "עין בעין יראו בשוב ה' ציון‬/ “Eye to eye they will behold the return of
Hashem to Tziyon”, with the coming of the Righteous Redeemer in great compassion,
speedily and in our days mamash, Amen.

40
‫ברוך ה' לעולם אמן ואמן‬

38
Mishlei 24, 16.
39
The day of the first fruits, i.e. Shavuos.
40
Translated and explained by HaRav Refoel Dovid Davis. rafoeldov@gmail.com
10